Apologizing To James
by RonaldWeasley3180
Summary: Severus made a grave mistake in calling his best friend the cursed M-word, and needs Lily to know how sorry he is. What can he do to change her mind, and her heart?


**Setting:**Right after he calls her a Mudblood, in front of James Potter and his friends, in their 7th year. They are outside the Gryffindor Portrait Hole, and instead of the conversation in the book, this is what happens.

**Summary**: Severus made a grave mistake in calling his best friend the cursed M-word, and needs Lily to know how sorry he is. What can he do to change her mind, and her heart?

**Rating**: K+

"I'm sorry!" Severus pleaded for the umpteenth time, clasping his hands in front of him and begging with all his might.

"Save your breath, Snape. I only came out here because Mary told me you were threatening to sleep out here." The icy tone of Lily's voice cut through Severus like a knife, hitting him in the core. _Snape._ She had never called him that, not even when he and his fellow Slytherins had played jokes on her friend and housemate. He wanted, no, _needed_ for her to see exactly how sorry he was. It had been in the heat of the moment that had shoved the word out of his mouth, and he knew, the instant the last part of the word was out of his mouth, that he had as god as severed his friendship with Lily with his own nails.

"Lily, just listen. Please? I can explain, I swear! MacDonald was right; I was going to sleep out here. Still will, if you won't listen to me!" Severus pleaded with his eyes, begged for her to just hear him out.

"What I said, it was unforgivable. I won't deny that, not for an instant. But Potter," and here, he grimaced, as if the words coming out of his mouth might be foul, or dangerous, "Potter brings out the absolute worst in me. Him and he cronies, always strutting around the castle like they own the bloody place… And you know he fancies you!" Severus gestured wildly in the air, accentuating his points and nearly hitting Lily in the process.

"Severus, don't blame James for what _you_ said." Lily looked at Severus disapprovingly.

"I don't! I know what I said what completely my fault! Look. I said James fancies you. But what I'm trying to say is… What I _really _meant was…" Severus swallowed thickly before continuing, "Potter isn't the only one who fancies you. Ever since we met, 8 years ago, I've fancied myself getting together with you. You are what drove me to follow my potion-making dream. Thoughts of you kept me from retaliating to Potter and his cronies' insults half the time. And you are what made me get up every morning and thank my lucky stars that I was still alive, still able to see your beautiful face. I – I even – I even think that I mi – might actually love you. I would give my life for you. All I want is to see you happy. So please, just know that I am sorry. In every possible way." Severus stopped, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, filling his lungs with much-needed oxygen.

He opened his eyes slowly, bracing himself for the attack that was sure to come from his best-friend, and long-time crush. The look on Lily's face, however, was anything but angry. The hard look in her eyes had softened, and the frown on her brow was all but gone. A cute little scrunch on the bridge of her nose remained, indicating that she was thinking, and thinking hard at that. Severus waited agonizingly for a reaction, anything to tell him that he was forgiven. Lily's forgiveness meant everything to him, and without it, he didn't think he would be able to get up the next morning, let alone go through the rest of his life.

After what seemed like a lifetime to Severus, but was actually only 3 minutes and 26 seconds, Lily opened her mouth to speak. She stood in front of him, her mouth gaping open, as she thought of something, anything, to say. Her mouth closed again, and the furrow in her brow deepened. Her mouth opened again, and Severus leaned forward ever so slightly, eagerly awaiting her response.

"Sev, I… I don't know what to say. What you said just now, was really sweet, but after today… I don't know if I can trust you the same way." Lily looked at him with her doe-eyes, tears brimming and threatening to spill.

"Then let me prove it to you. Let me prove to you how sorry I am. Meet me tomorrow in the Entrance Hall, bye the Left Gargoyle guarding the Great Hall." Lily nodded at Severus, and turned around, about to enter Gryffindor Tower again, when a hand on her shoulder stopped her.

"Lily?"

"Yeah, Sev?" She turned around and faced him, waiting for him to finish his thought.

"Thank you." And with that, he turned, and strode down the hallway with long, sure steps, no doubt going back to his dorm. Lily stood in front of the portrait of the Fat Lady, gobsmacked. Severus never, _never_ apologized, or thanked anyone. Never. And here she was, witnessing him doing those very things, and sincerely at that.

_**NEXT DAY, IN THE ENTRANCE HALL**_

"Sev?" Severus turned around and saw that Lily was indeed standing before him. His face broke into a wide, genuine smile, and Lily couldn't help but give a small smile in return.

"Hey," he murmured, before jerking his head slightly in the direction of the Great Hall. "Shall we?" Lily nodded, and the two of them entered at the same time, drawing astonished looks from the Hogwarts Population. Of Course, with Hogwarts being Hogwarts, everyone knew about what Severus had done the day before, and no one was expecting Lily to forgive him as easily as she seemed to have. Severus shrunk back a bit from the unwanted attention, but straightened back up when the thought of a full-fledged Lily-Smile filled his mind. He walked over to Gryffindor table, confidence radiating off of him.

Stopping behind James and his Cronies, Severus waited a bit impatiently for them to notice him.

"Snivellus… What do you want?" Sirius Black was the first to spot him, and stood quickly from his seat at the table. At hearing the name, James' head swiveled back, and soft, brown eyes met steely gray ones, the stares never wavering.

"I've come to apologize." Gasps filled the hall as everyone but one witnessed Severus apologizing for what they thought was the first time in his life.

"Too right you are…" James said roughly, before wavering a bit, "Erm… For what, exactly?"

"For being a right git to you. No matter how much you deserve it, I will be the better person, and apologize to you. But only you. Your, er, _friends_, I will not apologize to, for reasons that I am sure you are aware of." With that, Severus turned away from James and faced Lily. His spirit soared high and free at the bright and wide smile on her face. He knew he was forgiven. Motioning towards the doors, he began to walk towards them, hoping with all his being that she was following. A voice cut his journey short, though, making him turn around in surprise.

"Hey, Snape! Apology accepted. And I'd like to say sorry to you too, for reasons I am sure you are aware of." James gave the Slytherin a ghost of a smile before turning back to his breakfast, ignoring the looks of confusion and anger on his friends' faces. Severus turned around again to find Lily at his side, pride shining in her eyes and on her face.

The two of them walked through the hall, oblivious to the stares they were getting, and exited the Great Hall, all thoughts of breakfast forgotten.

"Lily, I – " Severus' words were cut short, however, when a small body flew at his own lanky one, knocking his balance off. His arms acted of their own accord, wrapping around the smaller frame of his best friend as he breathed her Vanilla and Lily-of-the-Valley scent in, drowning his senses in the aroma. Lily pulled back from the hug a bit, and Severus' body cried immediately for the loss. He looked down at her and smiled.

"Sev?"

"Hmm?"

"Thank you." And with that, Lily Evans pushed up onto her tippy-toes and leaned her face against his, connecting their lips in a sweet kiss, full of love and hope. Severus marveled in the feel of her lips against his. Her lips were soft, and fit against his as if they were made to be together. He slid his tongue across her upper lip in a bold move, asking for entrance and deepening the kiss. She parted her lips a little, and their tongues began a hesitant dance of exploration, tasting each other and basking in the new sensations. She tasted like honey and mint, a combination of flavors that Severus knew that he was instantly addicted to. They pulled back a bit to breathe, and Severus smiled down at her.

"I love you," He whispered.

"I love you too, Sev." His heart filled with joy at the sound of those words, and at that moment he knew, that everything was right in the world, because he had his Lily in his arms.

_**Finite Incantatem**_** (The End)**


End file.
